MATCH ZONE

If Alan Irvine thought he may be able to gain his first win as West Bromwich Albion head coach by exposing weaknesses in the team he knows so well, he was left with the realisation that deficiencies at his current club require urgent attention.

Everton left The Hawthorns with three points, collected in relative comfort from the moment — one minute and 40 seconds in — that Romelu Lukaku scored his first goal since signing permanently for Roberto Martinez.

Jonas Olsson, for the second time in as many games, was at fault and his error was compounded in the second half by Ben Foster, who allowed Kevin Mirallas’s weak shot to squirm under his body.

After only 100 seconds Everton striker Romelu Lukaku whipped in a magnificent long range goal following an error from West Brom defender Jonas Olsson

Everton striker Romelu Lukaku, having spent a loan spell at West Brom, chooses not to celebrate too much after firing Everton ahead with a fine strike

West Brom keeper Ben Foster couldn't do anything about Romelu Lukaku's magnificent strike after just two minutes but should have saved Everton's second goal

Everton won for the first time in the Premier League this season as Kevin Mirallas celebrates scoring their second to secure the three points in an easy away win

It meant a first win and first clean sheet in the Premier League this season for Martinez, who now sets his sights on Wolfsburg in the Europa League on Thursday. Irvine still awaits victory and his focus remains on top-flight survival.

Albion have seen 13 players leave the club this summer, with 11 new faces arriving and the difficulty in knitting such a changed squad together is clear to Irvine.

Many missed pre-season but the lack of fluency or creativity in their play on Saturday alarmed supporters still scarred by last season’s turmoil to such an extent a vocal minority booed at the final whistle.

Everton boss Roberto Martinez and West Bromich Albion manager Alan Irvine greet each other before kick-off at the Hawthorns on Saturday

‘I understand it,’ said Irvine. ‘We’re all frustrated, we all wanted a really good result. You talk about two international players and they don’t normally make those mistakes. They are devastated and will be hurting for next few days.

‘It’s important we get good results while building a team. They are working extremely hard to try to get that.’

Irvine was facing the club he had called home for eight years over two spells. By his own admission he could have had a job for life but chose to leave the comfort behind to step back into the harsh world of football management.

After 100 seconds he felt that brutal edge. Leighton Baines’ low cross looked harmless until Olsson cleared straight to Lukaku. The Belgian striker, on the edge of the area, took one touch then bent a devastating shot into the far corner beyond Foster’s despairing dive.

The Swedish defender’s slip against Swansea in West Brom’s last game granted Nathan Dyer an opener inside 90 seconds and Irvine can be forgiven for wondering whether his pre-game plans will always have to be torn up so soon after kick-off.

Lukaku, who scored 17 goals during a loan spell at The Hawthorns in 2012-13, almost apologised to the home faithful after the ball hit the net.

Interestingly, his strike was his first Premier League goal for a club that owns him. His previous 32, for West Brom and Everton, had all been on loan.

Martinez called his £28million fee ‘money well spent’. ‘As a player he is everything expected in a striker,’ he added.

Six minutes after the interval it should have been 2-0. Lukaku unleashed a fearsome shot with his left foot that Foster saved well with a strong wrist. The ball fell straight to Steven Naismith but he ballooned the ball over rather than into the open goal.

Left-back Leighton Baines, back from englad duty, evades a tackle from James Morrison and was as lethal as ever for Everton with his distribution play

West Brom's club record signing Brown Ideye tries to get past Everton cetre-back Josh Stones but couldn't find the back of the net at the Hawthorns

West Bromwich Albion's Cristian Gamboa battles for the ball with Everton's Kevin Mirallas as the Belgian forward went on another marauding run

The visitors established a two-goal cushion in the 66th minute. It was another shocker defensively.

Baines passed inside to Mirallas, who had time to turn and shoot for goal under little pressure from Olsson. The Belgian’s effort did not look the deadliest until Foster allowed the ball to slip under his body.

Irvine flung a water bottle to the turf in fury. He must work hard to ensure it is not one of those seasons.

West Bromich Albion's striker Georgios Samaras came off the bench to make his debut for the club but failed to find a way past Everton's impressive Tim Howard

Tim Howard collects the ball under pressure from approaching West Brom players as the American held on to secure a clean sheet at the Hawthorns

Everton forward Kevin Mirallas managed to evade the oncoming Craig Gardner to fire in a fortunate second for Everton, as Ben Foster should have saved his effort

Kevin Mirallas (right) celebrates with team mates after completing the 2-0 win for Everton at the Hawthorns after Ben Foster failed to keep out his tame shot

Everton keeper can't hide his delight as his side kept a clean sheet and won in the Premier League for the first time this season with the 2-0 victory on Saturday

Everton's £28million summer signing Romelu Lukaku salutes the away fans after guiding his side to victory at former club West Brom with a marvellous early goal